Duty
by DrakeTheTraveller
Summary: Due to an unexpected, but no less tragic series of events, one man is forced to abandon the world he knew to escape his past. Leaving everything behind but the clothes on his back and a bag in hand, he takes a train ride to a city he had no choice but to call his own. Wanting only to find a place for himself, he prayed the city's tawdry slogan held some measure of truth.
1. Chapter 1

**AN at the end of the chapter.**

Zootopia

Chapter 1

Silence loomed in the empty train station, rows of deserted wooden benches hugged the once whitewashed walls now turned an ashen lifeless gray by years of grime and neglect. Darkness peered in from the foggy windows, the sun a few good hours away from rising. The only source of lighting in the dusky expanse was a handful of stripped bulbs hanging from the lofty ceiling as they dangled on exposed wiring, the acerbic yellow glow illuminating the cracked ceramic tiling covering the floor. Scattered newspapers, empty junk food bags, soda cans and beer bottles littered the ground in small abandoned piles long since crusted to the floor, resulting in a decidedly perceptible stench of putrid filth.

It did not take an astute pair of eyes to tell this place had seen better days. And the only pair of eyes in the station belonged to quite a perceptive individual.

The solitary decorations inside the all but forsaken station were a few faded posters, all depicting the same image. The bright splashes of red and green now blanched to a mellow, pinkish lime slurry of worn ink on tattered paper. A pair of smiling figures stood hand-in-hand in front the backdrop of a vibrant city, time having distorted their grins into grim hopeless rictuses, rendering the municipality behind them malformed by ancient toner into a broken wasteland of steel spires and shattered windows. The only thing not tarnished by time was the nauseatingly upbeat slogan plastered underneath in bold dynamic script.

 _Come on down to Zootopia… where anyone can be anything!_

The lone man in the station rolled his eyes in unguarded distaste.

It was garish enough without the tacky, almost naïve, aphorism.

Returning his gaze to his washed-out jeans, the man studied the crumpled water damaged ticket clutched tightly in his hands, a memento to his new life, and a signifier to the end of his old one.

 _3:45 AM_

 _From: Kalber To: Zootopia_

 _One Way_

He supposed it was for the best. After the events a few months prior, he didn't really feel welcomed here anymore. He had no home or family to go back to or rely on, and his friends had since shown him they had never really been.

A large worn down duffle bag sat comfortably between his legs, its black threadbare fabric close to popping the seams after having been stuffed to the brim with all his worldly possessions. All he had left to his name being some clothes, a handful of dog eared bills, his phone charger, and his old uniform. Not much to show after having been an established man for years. It seemed all one needed was for one instance of terrible luck to wipe away his entire life.

He supposed he would have laughed at the irony if it wasn't so, soul shatteringly accurate.

Sighing, he slicked back his rain soaked hair and glanced at his wrist watch as he dried his hand off on his thigh.

 _3:40_

' _It's almost time.'_

He probably should have thanked his director for giving him the job. The man must have had to pull a hell of a lot of strings to land it for him. But admittedly he had not handled the situation with any amount of grace or tact. His ears were still ringing from that shouting match and he was sure his boss would need to replace the door to his office. While technically he still had his old career, he was no longer a true part of their department, rather a token transfer to different office. The only bright side out of all this was that he had managed to land a reasonable position and his director had given him a decent initial salary, almost as good as his old one. But it had not eased the bitter sting of being "fired".

The last thing he wanted was to be forcefully uprooted from his home and shipped off like some piece of unwanted trash, especially after all he had sacrificed for his job. He had given up everything he had ever cared about for it, only to lose that in the end as well.

Yet out of this whole unpleasant affair, there was a positive note. The charges against him had been dropped and the whole ordeal wiped from his official record, not that he wanted it gone in particular. Though proven innocent, he still felt he should have been held accountable. Five months later and he still had nightmares about the shocking incident in Faraza. Perhaps if he had waited for the call then this entire ordeal might never have been averted.

As he mused on his ill begotten fate, a faint rumbling filled the air, signaling the approach of his ride and the final nail driving itself into the proverbial coffin.

All this speculation didn't matter in the end. What's done is done. There was no going back from this. The details had long ago been set in stone.

With a tired sigh, he sluggishly rose from the bench and strained stiffened muscles to grab the hefty bag at his feet. As he straightened out, his thigh vibrated, stopping him mid-stretch. Reaching down in mild curiosity, he slid his hand into his jean pocket and pulled out a phone to read the contact number displayed on the screen.

 _Father_

Grimacing, he thumbed the red dismissal icon and cut the call, the device abruptly stilling in his hands as he roughly shoved it back down.

Meanwhile the rumbling amplified, manifesting itself in the ground as the tiles trembled and a bright light filled the trashed train station.

He watched as a bright and shining train leisurely exited the mouth of the leftmost tunnel and slowed to a stop, the hissing of hydraulic pistons filling the dead air. The machine glowed resplendently in a golden haze, lit up by its own jovial warm yellow lights, not a single spot or speck of rust marring the shimmering steel.

Somewhat hesitant, he shouldered his bag and marched to the front car, carefully navigating around the scattered heaps of ancient refuse and broken ceramic while trying to ignore the ever-present stench of rot and decay.

There was a reason this station was never used. The only way to reach his destination from Kalber was by train, and no one had wanted to go there in a long, long time. The mayor herself had to personally arrange for the train to make a stop here just so he could board it. He imagined the woman was probably glad to do the mountain of paperwork involved if it would mean he would finally be out of her hair. Even the ticket he held in his hands had to have been printed explicitly for this moment, though he didn't know why it was even necessary at this point. They didn't take tickets anymore as far as he knew, and while he had half a mind to toss it on the ground with the rest of the garbage… he refrained, despite its inherent lack of worth.

It wasn't like he had to pay for this, nor was he coming back.

He was being exiled, pure and simple. The only thing that had saved him from a stifling five-by-five cell in a maximum security penitentiary had been his hard-earned reputation, and even that had not been enough to salvage his career or social life, both having been effectually murdered alongside his dreams and long held aspirations. Yet all the same he held onto the small scrap of abused paper, unable or unwilling to let it go.

Tense of his uncertain situation, he stopped in front of the door and uneasily waited for it to open. He had never encountered a zootopian before, having only ever seen them on TV on occasion, and that was not very often. The people of Kalber did not often interact with their eccentric neighbors unless in media format, preferring to stick close to home, which is what he would have preferred to do himself.

With a gentle hiss, the magnetic seal released and the door trawled to the side, allowing him to enter with an air of caution. As he looked around, he eventually sighed in relief upon seeing that the car was deserted. Thankful that his impending confrontation could wait longer, he looked for a good spot to take a seat. Noticing a short flight of stairs leading upwards, he followed them and found a small observation area with a glass dome. And with nowhere else really in mind, he set his bag down and made himself comfortable for the long haul.

Zootopia was a good 600 miles from Kalber, a small portion of that over water. It would be almost half a day before he arrived, a whole seven hours he was not relishing in the slightest.

As he leaned back into his plastic seat, he rummaged back into his pockets, extracting his phone and a pair of earpieces, plugging them in and unlocking his device to scroll through his catalog of songs in search for something to make the next hours at least a little less dull.

Among the many human musicians he listened to, there was a couple that weren't quite the norm. He had a handful of songs from Zootopian artists, ones he had followed in his idle youth as a passing phase.

Seeing as he would be permanently stuck there, he decided that their music might be more appropriate for the situation. Scanning his small playlist of music, he chose one of his favorites, The Fur Fighters.

Picking one of their more popular songs, he allowed the mash of bold drums and electric guitar to lull him to sleep.

It had already been a long day, and he knew it would only get longer.

* * *

He didn't know how long he slept, but when he woke up he was surprised to feel refreshed, not fully, but a great deal better than he had been beforehand. Checking his watch he learned that about five hours had passed and a little curious as to what transpired in that lost time, he glanced around to see if he was still alone, glad to notice that he was still the only one up there.

Though, after removing one of his headphones, he could hear the low din of conversation coming up the stairs, meaning the train had picked up a few passengers while he slept, which subsequently ruled out any thoughts of going back down there. And when he did not detect the steady vibration of the train moving underneath him, he looked out the dome to see that it had stopped.

Wondering if he had already arrived at his destination, he stood up and walked towards the glass to peer outside.

' _Well, that's something you don't see every day.'_

A huge swath of verdant green fields and rolling knolls filled the horizon, a small yet bustling town situated a few miles down, right smack dab in the middle of acres upon acres of lush, rural farmland. It was too far away to make out any clear details, but a sign ahead of the tracks alerted him to the fact they had stopped in a place called Bunnyburrow.

' _How quaint...'_

Shifting his gaze downwards, he spotted a small crowd of figures milling about the station in a disorderly mass. For a brief panicked moment he thought an angry mob had come for him. But he shook that bit of foolishness from his mind. First, it didn't make any sense, and second… it didn't make any sense. He was far from any people that might still hold his actions against him and he doubted bunnies of any kind would be a part of an angry mob. That is after all what they were, an enormous throng of bunnies of various heights, all loitering underneath a sign hanging from the station's wall. _Good luck, Judy!_ In bold red and blue letters that looked to have been scrawled by a pack of children. And judging by the amount of little pairs of ears running around, he wouldn't be all that surprised.

It appeared they were all a part of some going away celebration, and no doubt meaning they were all a part of a family.

He smirked.

It looked like some stereotypes did in fact hold true.

With his interest sated, he returned to his seat and played with his phone for a little while as he waited for the train to resume motion, using the device to keep his rattled nerves settled.

Thinking about the move and reasons for it was a lot for his twenty-five year old mind to take in and the mobile helped dull his anxiety. Eventually, sometime after he plugged his music back in, the locomotive kicked into gear with a jolt, the familiar juddering of wheels on a track muttering underneath him.

As the minutes dragged on he grew bored and focused his attention outside the window to the landscape blazing by. His music was not proving effective enough in quelling his thoughts. After all, it was hard to get lost in the beat when all you could think about is being lost in quiet literally a concrete jungle.

The department had been kind enough to give him enough funds to cover the initial move out here and he still had some money left over to keep himself fed for a few weeks, but he hoped to have all his affairs in order before then, otherwise it would be lukewarm ramen and stale crackers for a while, a situation he hoped desperately to avoid. All the money he had accumulated over the years had barely been able to cover the extensive legal fees of the prolonged court battle and left him in almost abject poverty. On the flip side of the coin, this meant the job was a mixed blessing and he supposed he could treat this situation like a fresh start. No one in Zootopia would know who he was, only what he was. It might just be a place where all his troubles could be left behind, a new face and a fresh start.

 _Where anyone can be anything…_

For a brief moment that motto didn't sound so cynical and patronizing.

The thought somewhat brightening his somber mood, he felt a slight auspiciousness about his future. Perhaps this just might be what he had needed the past few months. After the enormous scandal, it would be nice to be an unrecognized face in a crowd again, even though he just might be the only human there.

As he gazed outside, something slowly appeared on the horizon, taking the well-known shape of a city, what he could only expect to be Zootopia given its massive size, even at this distance. By now it had reached midday and the view was almost blinding as the sun glinted off the countless metallic spires of industry. They may have been animals to his eyes, but their architecture boldly told otherwise. He had to admit to himself, he had not been expecting something quite so… grand. It was even larger than Kalber itself, and twice as beautiful... though that was not saying much.

Popping his headphones out, he stashed them into his pants and reached for his duffle bag to dig for the papers he had printed out beforehand. The department's severance pay had covered the first month's rent on a studio flat somewhere in the city center and a short drive from his new job, that being the least they could have done for him. And while he didn't possess a map, he did have a rough sketch on where it would be after memorizing some details earlier. If he was correct, it should be approximately an hour away by foot.

There was a sudden commotion from the stairs as he studied his papers and he watched both in alarm and fascination from behind his documents as a bunny hopped up the flight and rushed to the front of the room, completely oblivious to his presence.

He was momentarily stunned by the sudden arrival, his papers hanging from limp hands as he stared openly at the large rabbit. Thankfully his gaze was ignored as it seemed they were completely focused on watching the approaching metropolis with rapt purple irises.

This gave him enough time to indulge in his examination of his very first close up look at a zootopian. The first thing he noticed was the pair of headphones in their long ears, probably the reason why they had not noticed his presence yet.

He was not one hundred percent on their gender, but he had guessed by the… curves? That she was a female… possibly, and was surprisingly big for a rabbit, at least several sizes more so than the feral counterparts he had seen back home. Without those 12-inch radars attached to her head she stood only about chest height with him, meaning she was approximately… three-ish feet tall, gripping the guard rail in grey furred padless… paws, and the trademark cotton swab tail poked through the hole in her light grey slacks.

Over all she was not quite what he expected, though he was not sure what it was exactly he had been expecting to be honest with himself. It was not the same as seeing them through a TV screen that's for sure. But, as fascinating as she was, he had far too many problems to waste his time ogling her. So after a few moments he finished his visual inspection and turned back to his papers, making sure he still had all of them. Without his identification he would be out of a job and a place to live before he even stepped off the train.

Distracted by his documents, he was unaware that the crinkling of paper had not gone unnoticed. The hearing of his fellow passenger was powerful, and she was able to hear it even over the upbeat tune blaring in her ears, one grey furred lobe swiveling promptly in his direction.

' _Hmm…. I wonder what they eat…'_ He mused idly to himself as he flicked through his travel documents and made sure he still had his I.D. Once he arrived he would have to go one of their DMVs before he stopped by his apartment to certify his Zootopian license. He hoped it wouldn't take long. After that he wanted to grab a bite to eat. His priorities for the last few days had not exactly been catered to his liking and the most he had indulged himself in were a few cold cups of coffee and a couple tasteless energy bars. Overall a bad combination that sought to send his stomach into revolt if he did not rectify such an erroneous oversight as soon as he could.

He hoped they had burgers in Zootopia, though he was not quite sure how they would have managed to work all that stuff out. In fact, he was curious what exactly it was all the predators ate. If they did still eat meat, where did they get it from? He remembered hearing something about it back in elementary school, but so many years had passed since then he had all but forgotten.

"Oh hi I didn't see you there… Sir?"

Hearing the soft, distinctly feminine voice as it slowly petered to a stop, he glanced up from his papers and was momentarily struck frozen as his amber eyes suddenly found themselves locked with a pair of vibrant purple, mirroring his astonishment back at him.

The bunny he had previously been studying had approached him, an earbud hanging from her soft blue, almost green, shirt as she eyed him with the same interest he had held himself not minutes ago.

"Wow, are you a human? I've heard about you guys but I haven't met any before. I remember reading in books that you don't have fur but I have to say I didn't quit believe that till now. Do you get cold often? I would think so with all that exposed skin."

He found himself overwhelmed by the rabbit's energetic, fast paced speech and was still several sentences behind her.

"Uh… hello?" He greeted her as pleasantly as he was able, though at this point it was more of a bemused reply than anything else.

Realizing that she had forgotten a core aspect of social interactions, she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Oops, I was in such a rush I completely forgot to introduce myself. Names Judy…. Judy Hopps." The rabbit's muzzle curved into an open and friendly grin as she extended her paw out for him to shake, her little button-like nose twitching with an apparent mind of its own.

Hesitant, he stuffed his papers into one hand and used the other to accept her greeting, wrapping his larger furless appendage around her small and slender paw. For a brief moment he was taken back by how soft it was, almost like running his hand across pure velvet.

"Roland Winters…" He gave his name as he firmly shook her paw once and released it to pick up his temporarily overlooked papers, folding them up to place neatly in his lap.

"Well Roland, what brings you to Zootopia? If I remember right, a human hasn't come to the city in…. a little over fifty years I'd say." The bunny happily plopped down on the seat beside him, her iconicly large feet dangling a few inches off the ground as she looked up to him in blatant curiosity. It appeared she lacked the social anxiety he and the people of his home town held onto. Most individuals he knew, including himself, would never have been so comfortable to start idle conversation with a stranger on the train, or anywhere for that matter. He wondered if it was a byproduct of her upbringing or if all zootopians carried that same innocent sincerity.

Roland was not quite sure how to answer her and took a few moments to properly phrase his response. "It's… work related I suppose. I'm moving here for my job. What about you? What brings you here?" He was surprised to find himself feeling at ease as he spoke with the rabbit. This conversation was doing more to relax him than his music. It had been a long while since he last had a friendly one and he was somewhat socially starved, a prospect he had never thought would bother him till he experienced it for himself.

"Me? Well I'm moving out here too. I'm going to be a police officer!" She declared boldly, a confident grin sitting comfortably on her muzzle.

Hearing such enthusiasm and certainty brought a wane smile to his face as well. He had been like that once, so sure of his place in the world and what he wanted to be. But that had been a long time ago, back when he still believed in the good and common decency of his fellow man. His career had quickly dissuaded him of that notion. But that didn't give him the right to crush other's dreams. If she was going to be a cop, far be it for him to tell her otherwise.

"That's a noble line of work and with that attitude I think you'll do just fine."

"You think so?" She asked eagerly, a hopeful look in her soulful eyes, those purple irises holding more depth and authenticity than most people he had met.

He nodded. "I wouldn't doubt it."

Roland was caught by surprise when the rabbit slumped into her chair, folding her arms crossly. "You'd be the first to say so." She muttered quietly, her lips pursing tight in displeasure as she furrowed her brow.

Her tone was a familiar one, and her posture mirrored a situation he knew well. "Let me guess. No one believed you could do it, not even your family did. And sometimes you thought they just might be right?" He smirked as the bunny looked to him in amazement, he having accurately deduced her predicament. Still smiling, he leaned back in his seat with a wistful sigh. "Yeah I know what you're feeling. I went through the same thing. Though probably slightly different, the meaning is the same and I'll tell you the same thing I told myself. You are the only one that can live your life. That means the only opinion that should matter is yours. Follow that and you can never truly go wrong."

Her frown softened as his words sunk in, slowly replaced by the smile she had been carrying when they met. The rabbit looked up to him, her smile widening. "Thank you Roland, I've…. I've never thought about it like that before."

He shrugged noncommittally, simply dismissing her words of thanks. "Just some advice I wish I didn't have to find out for myself."

They lapsed into silence for several minutes, the train's low roar being the only sound in the car. Roland tried to reoccupy himself with his device, but he couldn't get back into it. His temporary travel companion was just too unique to ignore. Peering through the corner of his eyes; he watched the bunny sitting next to him as she stared out the dome in wonder. It seemed they were close to their destination, the train taking them through some sort of desert region.

"So…" He began, turning to face her once more. "Was that your family back at the last stop?" He didn't want their conversation to end just yet. And he felt an odd desire to get to know her. But Roland attributed this to the fact she was the first zootopian he had encountered, as well as the first friendly face he interacted with in some time.

Her muzzle lit up in realization and she tittered bashfully, rubbing the back of her head as her huge pair of ears partially stooped down in mortification. "Yeah, they wanted to see me off. It's my first time away from home since I was at the academy. And even then I wasn't all that far. This'll be the farthest I've ever been from them."

She sounded a little anxious, and he imagined how hard it must have been to leave. He wouldn't know from his experiences, since he had been on his own the day he turned thirteen, but he would think it had been difficult for her.

"They look like good people… er… bunnies." He verbally stumbled over himself, not sure what exactly the proper etiquette was for addressing other species. He hoped it wasn't anything that might get him in trouble later.

She giggled, her anxiety fading away to be replaced by an air of exasperation. "They are… if a little too much so at times. I swear they worry too much." The bunny idly thumbed over a small pink canister, the writing on it too small for him to read from his seat.

"At least you can keep in touch."

"What about you? What's your family like?" She smiled up at him.

"I don't have any family." He responded casually. "I've been on my own ever since I was a kid."

"Oh…" Her smile faded as she turned her eyes to silently study the linoleum lined floor of the train car.

 _Now arriving at Zootopia…_ A feminine voice announced pleasantly from speakers in the roof, putting an end to their conversation.

"Well, it looks like this is our stop." Roland declared as he stuffed his papers into the inside pocket of his leather jacket and zipped his bag closed. He had a long checklist to wrap up that day if he was going to be ready for his job by tomorrow.

"Yeah… looks like it." She agreed slowly, picking up the luggage that had been left by where she had been standing before their talk.

As Roland fiddled with his jacket, he could not help but notice the rabbit's foot-dragging. She seemed to be far less eager then she had minutes ago. He wondered what the reason for that could be.

The rest of the train ride was finished in silence, until it pulled into the station as they got ready to leave. Once the train stopped, he reached down for his bag, swinging it onto a shoulder and turned to face her.

"It was nice talking with you. Maybe we can meet again someday. Good luck to you with your job." He said his goodbyes and moved for the stairs. It was as his boot connected with the first step that he heard her call out to him.

"Hey Roland, wait a second!"

He stopped and turned around; watching as the bunny hastily rushed over to him, holding out a scrap of paper. Curious, he took it and glanced down at the ten digit number hurriedly scribbled down. When he looked back to her, the bunny had a nervous curl to her lips and her cheeks were flushed a light rosy hue.

"You know I was thinking. Since we're both new here… maybe we should look out for one another… you know?" She prattled on anxiously, wringing her paws together tentatively.

He looked back down to the number before pocketing it and smiling back at her reassuringly. "I think that's a fine idea. Give me a moment." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper, patting himself down for a pen. "I don't think I have one on me." He admitted.

"Here you can use mine." She offered, holding out a little orange plastic carrot.

"Thanks." He accepted the proffered writing utensil and neatly jotted down his number and handed it over to her. "You ever need anything you call me. We newbies gotta stick together."

"Funny, I was just about to say the same thing." She replied with a grin.

Roland chuckled at that. "Alright then, I'll see you later… Judy." He waved goodbye and traveled down the steps to exit the train car. Staring at the number in his hands in idle thought, he crossed the car's threshold and stepped out into the station. It would seem as if he had already made his first friend. Things just might be finally looking up for him.

He gave the scrap of paper only a few more seconds of his full attention before he stashed it away in his jacket and looked up to see where he was going, and almost staggered as he was bombarded with a wave of sounds and colors.

The zootopian train station was completely opposite of the station he had been waiting in hours ago. The huge building was alive with activity as hundreds of mammals were in the processes of boarding and exiting the many machines that had reached their stops. Tiles shone bright in the well-lit area and he could not see even the smallest pieces of trash lying on the ground. A low roar filled his ears, the multitude of intermingled species chattering away as they went about their business.

It took him several moments to adapt to the rapid change in scenery but soon he was making his way to the exit, pulling out his phone to access the maps function and praying that it worked here. Without it, he just might get lost in a city that was far larger and chaotic then he had first anticipated.

He sighed in relief as his phone went through a brief update before displaying the local area on the screen. Thankful that he at least had some bearings on where he was, Roland input the address of the apartments and walked out of the station.

He did his best to ignore the blatant stares and mutters. He had known that he would be an oddity here, just as they might have been if they came to Kalber. However he did allow himself to take a few quick peeks back as he made his way through the streets. So far none of the looks or mutterings was negative, just idle innocent curiosity. Roland imagined that in a metropolis as diverse as this, he was hardly that much of a fascinating sight. In time they would dismiss him as anyone else. He just hoped it would be sooner rather than later, if not, it would make his job that much more interesting.

* * *

In the end it did not take him as long to find the apartment building as he thought it might've, less than forty minutes from the train station to his destination and a fair distance from the more heavily populated city center. Only a few mammals walked the streets with him, hardly giving the human a second look as they passed by.

Roland stopped outside the building his phone indicated to get a good look at the place he would be living in for the foreseeable future. Outwardly, it did not appear to be all that bad of a place, distinctly modern and clean, it was a sight better than his last residence. That building had been a rundown tenement with a dubious foreign landlord and probable part time drug dealer. He was just surprised at how small it was. A two story structure that more resembled a family's home then the apartment building he had imagined.

Puzzled, he glanced back to his notes to make sure the address matched and found that it was indeed the right place, _865 Foxwood Avenue,_ scribbled down on his notepad _._ Still more than a little confused, Roland tightened his grip on the sole piece of luggage he possessed and traveled up the short flight of steps to gently knock on the door.

He waited a while after there was no reply before rapping on the wooden door again, wondering if perhaps he had wrote down the wrong address. If so, that left him in quite a precarious position. With a second attempt proving fruitless, he shrugged and turned to leave.

He would have to call the office back in Kalber to confirm the address again, and he was not looking forward to that at all.

At the bottom of the small flight, he heard a commotion at the door and looked back, watching as the entrance hesitantly pulled open and a short, slender russet muzzle peered out of the tiny gap, all he could see being a pair of dark green eyes eyeing him warily from within the door's shadow.

"H-Hello…?"

The voice was so low as to be hard to identify, but it sounded like a young women, if an unquestionably nervous one at that.

Not wanting to startle or intimidate her, he tried to project a calm and friendly tone. "Hi there, I believe someone called ahead a couple days ago about an open room? This is 865 Foxwood Avenue correct?" he inquired from the bottom step.

The muzzle bobbed up and down uncertainly. "Y-Yes it is."

"Is the room still available then?" He hoped it was, otherwise he would be in trouble. He could probably find a hotel for the night but that would eat into his meager savings and then it _would_ be ramen and crackers for him, a prospect he looked to with great reluctance.

He watched anxiously as the owner of the muzzle seemed to mull over his question, nodding slowly after a few moments and closing the door, leaving him staring at it in confusion. Just as he thought that was it, he heard the telltale rattle of a chain being pulled as the door slowly swung open.

"C-Come in." The uneasy voice offered quietly.

Roland uncertainly glanced around the deserted streets before deciding to climb back up the steps and cross the portal. Once inside, he found it to be unexpectedly dark in the building, the only light afforded by the draped windows decorating the small entryway, the bulbs in the ceiling darkened in disuse. The man had to stoop from the moment he entered, the roof was just a few inches too low, constantly brushing against his short black hair, a small nuisance he could have done without. He could not see much of the building itself from the hall, but at the moment he was more interested in finding the owner. They had seemed to disappear the second he stepped inside, or so he had thought.

Turning his head to his left, Roland finally noticed the woman standing timidly in the corner. Being the second species of this place to be in close proximity with him, he allowed himself a cursory once over.

The woman was in actuality, a slender auburn furred vixen that stood barely at the height of his chest, even smaller than Judy. She was startlingly frail, even in the cream colored sundress wrapped over her slim figure. The girl's lean appearance gave credence to the thought that the smallest breeze might threaten to blow her away. The only part of her that looked truly alive was her eyes, both emerald orbs glowing with the youth and vitality her fragile frame did not possess.

But at the moment those eyes were full of wariness and suspicion as they studied the tall and imposing figure that had entered her home. Roland could not help but feel some sort of misplaced guilt as he gazed back at her, starting to feel as if might have been the better solution to find a hotel.

"It's nice to meet you ma'am, my name's Roland… Roland Winters." He introduced himself as pleasantly as he could, extending his hand out for her to shake, internally cringing when she shied from him.

The vixen took a fearful step away, placing her back firmly against the wall as she folded her arms close to her chest, the wariness in her eyes growing exponentially as she stared at him mutely.

Roland let slip a quiet sigh and slowly withdrew his offered hand, placing it close to his side. He knew what was going on, having dealt with quite a few people like her in his line of work. And the best way to handle them was to be patient. So that's what he did, waiting for her to make the first move with a compassionate, kindly smile.

This looked to work as her apprehensive stare seemed to lessen and she slowly pulled away from the wall to tentatively approach him. "Marian Calvet…" She whispered, holding her paw out. Her voice flawlessly reflected her outwards appearance, low and delicate. He could barely make it out, even in the dead silence of the entryway.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Calvet." He greeted her just as quietly and gently took her paw in his hands, giving it a soft comforting squeeze. The vixen's lips pulled into a small smile and she visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping as her tail kicked into subdued motion. "If I may be so forward, is it possible to discuss the matters regarding lodging? It has been quite a long day for me and I was hoping to get that settled."

She nodded demurely and stepped away from him, pointing towards the staircase. "The room's just up here."

Roland followed her up and down through hall to a dark blue door situated at the very end. Inside, it was actually pretty nice, more than big enough. There was a dresser by the bed and a window of the outside that provided illumination alongside the small ceiling light. And with a connected bathroom and a closet it was just about all he needed.

"Is… is everything satisfactory?" She asked hesitantly from the doorway.

He turned to her with a grin. "This is perfect."

* * *

With the matter of the room settled, he spent a little while with Miss Calvert finalizing the details and giving her the first issuance of rent he had previously stashed in an envelope. She was a rather nice girl, though rather timid. And though he had wanted to ask her a few questions, at the time he decided it was not his place to do so.

He also confirmed that this was not an apartment building but rather her home turned boarding house. As it stood he was her first guest and it was clear to him that she was new at this with her awkward uncertainty. She offered to do his laundry and clean his room, and if he was around at the right times, there was breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All in all, he could not think of a better deal. And it was definitely turning out to be a better situation than any apartment than he could have hoped for. His work frequently absorbed much of his attention and he often overlooked those types of things.

It took the better part of the rest of the morning to finish up, most of that time being their talk since he didn't have much to unpack. She gave him a spare key for the house and it was approaching lunch by the time they finished. And as much as he would have like to stay and eat, he still had something to do.

Making his goodbyes, Roland left the building and headed for the DMV.

* * *

With a tired groan, Roland unlocked the door and shuffled inside and out of the dark street. He barely even remembered to take his boots off at the door as he lurched around. Dragging his feet all the way to the stairs, he plopped down on the nearest step and tiredly unlaced his boots.

"Mister Winters?"

He shifted a fatigued eye to the vixen standing questioningly behind him and smiled weakly. "Ah, Miss Calvet."

"What… what happened to you?" She asked in bewilderment, taking in his ragged clothes and defeated aura. It looked like he picked a fight with a rhino and lost.

"I went to the DMV to acquire my local license."

The vixen winced in sympathetic understanding. "Ah… I see."

Sighing heavily, he massaged the bridge of his nose, eyes tightly shut in irritation. "I just have to ask… why sloths?"

She shrugged, tail flickering uncertainly. "No one really knows since it's been like that for a while. But it's probably one of Mayor Lionheart's inclusion initiatives. He's been doing a lot of those recently for the upcoming election year."

Roland nodded and sat up without a word.

"Did you… want something to eat? I just finished making some mixed berry salad." She gestured over her shoulder to the small kitchen in the back of the house.

"Oh no thank you, I think right now I just want to get some sleep." If he thought the department of motor vehicles was bad, the department of _mammal_ vehicles was the greater of the evils. He had spent the last eight hours going through an hour long process. Despite his grumbling stomach, he doubted he could stay awake long enough to eat anything.

"Oh… okay." She murmured quietly, eyes downcast as if his response had disappointed her.

He smiled wryly at that, shaking his head in amusement. "On second thought, I think something to eat might be just what I need."

With that, her ears perked up almost immediately and she motioned for him to follow with he would almost call excitement.

Following her, he entered the kitchen and had a look around. He could see that she had spoken the truth, it looked as if she had just finished up when he walked into the door, a wooden cutting board stained with juice sat on the counter by the sink with a knife placed neatly to the side. The small dining table was already set for two, and it looked like she had been anticipating his return, the vixen standing to the side with hopeful anticipation.

Roland turned to her with a bemused smile. She was certainly an odd one. Just that morning she had been frightened of him. Now it seemed she vied for his approval. Still perplexed and now more than a little curious, he sat down at the other end of the table and glanced down at the bowl of berries in front of him. He was not all that fond of fruit, but it looked like she had put a great deal of care and time into prepping this so he withheld his usual distaste.

Once he was seated the vixen took the chair opposite him and waited for him to make his next move, patiently grasping her fork in her paw.

Picking up his own fork, he speared a chunk of an indeterminate berry and brought it into his mouth, rolling it around his taste buds. After a few moments he decided it actually wasn't all that bad. Sure, he wasn't all that enthused by the sharp tang of balsamic vinegar, but it did add a certain kick and went surprisingly well with the brown sugar. As a whole the meal was a little sweet for his pallet, but after going so long without eating real food it was still welcomed.

Roland looked back to her and almost chuckled at the vixen's expectant expression, she seemingly hanging on a thread to hear his response. "It's very good." He confessed as he took another bite, watching in satisfaction as her muzzle lit up in a pleased grin. "You're a pretty good cook."

"My dad was an avid at home chef and he taught me everything I know." She replied with a modest smile, though her lips twitched fractionally and he caught a brief flash of pain in her eyes.

He could tell there was a deeper story to that, but he merely nodded in acceptance of her answer. It was not his place to delve any deeper. He was just a guest in her home, and he was thankful for the place to stay.

He chatted with her for a while over the meal, before his drooping eyes told him he had to get some amount of sleep before he left for work on the morrow. It was going to be a very long and very busy day, and though he had grown used to only a few hours rest at a time, he would need a little extra to see himself through the events to transpire tomorrow. Roland bid her goodnight and offered to help with the clean-up, but she protested. Seeing as he was her tenant, she wanted to take care of it.

Considering himself a gentleman, he couldn't let her do the work by herself since he contributed to it. And in the end they agreed to split the work, he cleaning up after himself, and she taking care of the rest. Once he placed his bowl and utensils in the dishwasher he made his final goodnight and traveled up the stairs and down the hall to his room. Opening the door, he went inside to find that it had been prepared for him, the pleasant alpine scent of cleaning agents filled the air and the linen for the bed looked to have been recently washed.

He smiled at the extra care she took for him, finding his duffle bag untouched at the side of the bed exactly as he left it. Zipping it open, he pulled out his nightwear, a generic black sleeveless undershirt and a pair of work out shorts. He changed and set his phone for 4:30 in the morning, intending to get an early start to the day. There were still a couple things to do before he reported in.

* * *

 **AN: Hey guys, haven't been around here in a while. I had a lot of RL issues to handle and I apologize for the lack of activity. However, I have taken care of most of them so now I can put some more time towards my passion for writing. An idea for a story like this has been floating around in my head for a while and once I saw Zootopia I felt it was a perfect medium to put it down. I hope you all like it and judging by its reception i'll decide whether to put more effort into it. As for LOTP and my other stories, I have been pretty busy. I hope to have the next chapter in Six's legacy out sometime soon and the first chapter for Shattered's final rendition is complete as is most of the one for First Contact. That being said if for whatever reason you want to save the old versions to your devices I'll give a week's grace period to do so by which the end those stories will be removed to make room for their rewrites.**

 **With all that out of the way I want to say how happy I am to be back in action for the moment and I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Drake The Traveller**


	2. Chapter 2

Zootopia

Chapter 2

Roland awoke to the unpleasant screeching of his alarm as it throttled him into consciousness. Groaning in reluctance at the rude awakening, he rolled of the bed and fell the two foot gap down to the plush carpeted flooring, the alarm howling in his ears. The man dragged himself to his knees and slapped a hand onto the small nightstand beside his bed, drunkenly fumbling around for his phone in an effort to shut off the irritating warbling it emitted.

Once found, he quickly shut off the miniature siren, lowering the screen towards his face so he could check the time.

 **6:00**

Frowning, he tossed the device onto the mussed sheets of his bed in dismissal and dropped back to the carpet. The young man slapped a palm on his forehead and shut his eyes, sighing in frustration.

 _'_ _Damn… I slept in.'_

Used to be he could wake up without the need for an alarm, and now that wouldn't even work. He knew things were a little off for him after Faraza, but that didn't make it any less infuriating. If he didn't hurry up he would be late, and on his first day to. Roland knew from personal experience that first impressions meant everything. And if he wanted to start off on a good standing he had to get moving.

Drowsily, he wormed his way towards his duffle bag to quickly rummage inside for his uniform.

Pulling out the black ensemble, he finally forced himself to climb to his bare feet, padding over to the bathroom with a loud yawn that threatened to crack his jaw. With the twist of a brass knob he entered the restroom and dropped his clothes onto the porcelain counter, taking the time to get a good look at his exhausted reflection in the wall mounted mirror.

Fatigued amber eyes scanned a haggard tan face and its developing five o'clock shadow as he ran a finger over the dense stubble. His eyes lingered momentarily on the faint scar on his right cheek before he tore his gaze down to his chest with an almost imperceptible shudder.

Roland pulled his sleeveless undershirt over his head and dropped it to the tiled floor of the bathroom, giving himself one more look in the mirror.

While unable to pride himself as a professional bodybuilder, he was definitely not a slouch either. A recognizable six pack dominated his lower abdomen and not much fat could be seen on his respectably muscled frame. The man led a very active lifestyle, and though he was a fan of junk food and all its sodium and preservative enriched glory, his job was not one where he could afford to let himself go.

Leaning towards the shower in the cramped room, he turned the nozzle and activated the jet of cold liquid, waiting for the water heater to do its work. Once the temperature had reached an agreeable level, marked by the cloud of steam forming in the crowded lavatory, Roland slipped out of his shorts and hurriedly stepped inside and out of the cold.

The hot water washing over his body jumpstarted his fuddled brain almost as effectively as a mug of scalding hot coffee and he wasted little time washing away the dirt and grime of Kalber for the final time.

He spent only a few extra minutes in the warm embrace of the high pressure deluge before reluctantly shutting off the flow of water and grabbing the bleached white towel hanging on the rack to dry off. It seemed another perk of living here was the shower. It definitely was a sight better than the one he had in his one person apartment back in his hometown.

Stepping out of the cramped stall, he patted himself with the fluffy cotton, pleasantly surprised by the quality of her bath towels.

After toweling off, Roland reached for the uniform on the counter, recalling the last time he had put it on as he slipped into the pants. He only hoped things would play out differently. This was his only shot at keeping his line of work and expect to preserve any semblance of a normal life. He knew it would take some amount of adjusting to get used to this place and its strange inhabitants, but that was preferable to what would have awaited him if he had stayed back in Kalber.

Sighing, he slowly buttoned up the dark colored shirt and fiddled with the collar as he walked out of the bathroom. Crossing over the bedroom, he lifted his duffle bag onto the bed and dumped out its contents onto the silken sheets, everything left he had to his name sat in a small disorganized pile of mismatched clothing.

Sifting through the mess, he found and pulled out the holstered handgun that had been buried amongst his briefs, lifting it up towards his head for a closer examination.

At one point not so long ago he thought he would never pick up a gun again. He had never been a big fan of firearms and had a healthy level of respect and loathing for them. The high levels destruction they could wreak in such a short span of time was deplorable; he knew that better than most. Yet he was also a firm believer in the axiom, fight fire with fire. Guns would exist regardless of his opinion on them. It made no sense then to leave himself at a disadvantage an adversary would have no qualms of exploiting. That, and well his job kinda required it.

Roland eyed the glossy matte black finish of the deadly weapon for several minutes in silent apprehension, the firearm dredging up a slew of unpleasant memories that brought a sharp migraine to the surface of his thoughts.

Eventually, he belted it to his waist, doing his best to ignore the haunting weight of it dangling at his side.

Delving once more into the mess of clothes, he retrieved the polished gold metaled badge that went with his uniform, and after a few seconds of musing, he pinned it to his chest.

There was a lot of emotional baggage attached to those things, the sight of them bringing back memories both good and bad… but mostly bad. He no longer knew if he was fit to wear the uniform, but he did know that he would do his best to live up to it. His past self, had made a lot of mistakes. But this was supposed to be a new beginning for him. And he hoped it would work out better than last.

Wondering what kind of day this was going to turn out to be, he almost forgot something he had to take with him, finding it sitting in the center of the rest of his wardrobe, the sleeve of a dark red t-shirt draped over it.

Roland knocked the sleeve off and picked up the obsidian ball cap, reading the lettering around the shield-like insignia on the forward-facing part just above the bill, a deep set frown on his face. _Special Weapons and Tactics, Kalber Police Department_. He recalled how proud he had been of that accomplishment, one of the youngest men in the city to have ever joined. He also reminded himself how that had been one of his last good memories he had made of his previous home.

 _'_ _If I had only know how quick my luck would change. I might have done things a little differently.'_

Exhaling heavily, he firmly pressed it onto his head and spent a few seconds straightening the cap out before heading towards the hall. Giving his room one last look, he strode outside and carefully closed the door behind him.

Now in the hallway, he made his way down the stairs, his boots thumping softly against the carpeted steps. Halfway down, he heard a voice.

"Ah, Mister Winters, you're awake. There's some breakfast in the microwave if you're hungry." His vixen landlord spoke up from below as she crossed the threshold of the living room and stopped at the bottom step. Looking up, she briefly paused as she took in his new and unexpected apparel, clearly surprised at finding him wearing such a thing. The female was silent for several seconds as she registered what it was he wore. "You're a police officer?" She asked in an incredulous murmur.

Roland nodded with a wane smile, used to getting a variety of reactions to him in uniform. For some reason people were always surprised. "Indeed ma'am I am, a preserve of the peace."

"I must say… I had not thought you would be." She mumbled quietly, transferring her gaze to the floor once more.

Her docile attitude once more mystified him. He didn't know why she acted the way she did, but he was starting to get the urge to pry. But for now he would remain mute.

"I had assumed you were a business man."

Roland traveled down the last couple steps, shrugging offhandedly. "That's not so ma'am. I was transferred from my office in Kalber to Precinct-1 here in the city."

She accepted his response with a curt nod and a heavier tone. "I see…"

"Is something the matter, Miss Calvet?" He asked in mild concern. He hoped she did not have any problems with the police as many he knew back in Kalber had. Otherwise he could be out of a place to stay soon after finding one.

The vixen hurriedly shook her muzzle, pulling it into a pert smile. "No. Of course not, it just came as a surprise. In fact I… well I honestly find it quite…relieving."

Roland was relieved himself to hear that and nodded graciously. "That is good to hear. I appreciate you inviting me into your home. The last thing I would want is to cause any problems for you."

She dispelled his worry with a dismissive wave of her paw. "It's not a problem at all… rather it helps ease my mind. This neighborhood can be quite rough at times. So it would be nice to have an officer on short demand." She smiled up at him, her first attempt at some type of humor since he arrived.

Roland chuckled, more for her then any amusement of his own. "I imagine it would be quite the perk."

She shared his laugh; the vixen's purring chuff a quiet musical tone that struck him with its unexpected charm. "Yes, well my offer still stands. If you're hungry, there's a cheese omelet in the microwave."

"Ah… yes, t-thank you. That sounds great." He stammered inelegantly, suddenly finding it hard to articulate himself. Confused, he politely ended the conversation and retreated to the kitchen to grab the offered morning meal.

Bewildered, he quickly scarfed down the scrambled eggs coated in cheese, making sure not to get any on his uniform. He didn't have much time left to speculate on his actions and so he readied to leave. Stacking his plate and fork in the sink, he bid his landlady goodbye and hurriedly traveled down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

Crossing the road once he had the opportunity, he halted at a car parked alongside the curb, the large vehicle shining brightly in the morning light. The sun's yellow rays glinted off the pristine black finish of his newest acquisition.

On a whim, Roland had visited a dealership before stopping at the DMV to put a down payment on the 2015 land cruiser. He had decided it would be best to have his own set of wheels sooner rather than later. Having his own transportation would be crucial in making his life easier in the beginning months. He could not nor wanted to have to rely on others. And so with the last of his funds, and a few good words, he managed to acquire the car.

It was a beast of a vehicle, (though a few years dated), and a good purchase in his eyes, especially since he had been able to get a decent deal on it. The fact he was a cop was played well into his hand during the negotiations to settle on a price. With a 1.84 percent interest rate on the machine it was price he could afford, even as strapped for cash as he was at the moment… at least as long as everything worked on his end.

Flicking the button on the key chain, he unlocked the doors and shuffled into the SUV. He spent a brief spell familiarizing once again with the vehicle before inserting the keys and turning the ignition, jumpstarting the hulking engine.

Roland listened to the dull rumble with a smile. He always had a fondness for big cars, and this definitely fit the description. Plugging his phone into the charger, he locked it onto its tiny plastic mount and pulled up the maps app to search for directions to the precinct.

Once he plotted his course, he backed out of his spot and cruised down the street.

* * *

Roland shut off the car's engine, keeping his hands firmly wrapped around the steering wheel as he exhaled nervously. He leaned back in the seat and rested his head against the padded upholstery. Nervous, that's what he was, more so then he had been before stepping on the train. Outside, a steady flow of mammals waltzed in and out of the precinct's glass doors, the alternative blue hued uniforms of officers speckled throughout the small crowd.

This wouldn't be like his first day on the force, back in Kalber they had all been the same species. Here, he would be completely out of place. He couldn't even count on them all having vaguely similar sizes.

As he opened his eyes he watched a rhino duck inside, his horn barely scrapping against the door's stone frame, the mammal at least a full nine feet in height.

 _'_ _Damn that guy's huge.'_

Even nervous as he was, Roland could not help but chuckle at his own unease. He wasn't some green around the ears recruit; he had been an officer for five years, three of which he spent as a detective. He had been through countless situations that were far more deserving of his anxiety, car chases, active shooters, bomb threats, heists. This should be a cakewalk in comparison.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the car. _'Come on Roland, just pull yourself together and try to get through the first day.'_ He advised himself as he moved towards the doors and fiddled with his badge for the umpteenth time.

This time he did his best to ignore the looks. He doubted returning the flood of curious glances would make him feel any better about his situation. He just soldiered through the discomfort and awkwardness, his long muscled legs carrying swiftly towards the door and to a place that would lessen the attention centered directly on him.

Raising a hand, he pushed the revolving entrance and crossed the orbiting threshold that deposited him swiftly out on the other side. He allowed himself to lift his gaze, scanning his surroundings intently. The foyer of the precinct was larger then what he was used to. The one he worked at in Kalber was barely large enough to house more than a handful or so of people. But here, you could probably stuff the whole of the KPD inside with some room left to spare.

Roland wasn't sure what to make of the size, finding it a tad ostentatious. But he supposed the main station of the city could afford to be a little grandiose. Despite the variety of species and its size, it looked to function just as the one in Kalber had. But, since he didn't know the layout he zeroed in on the front desk in hopes the cheetah manning it could lead him to the chief's office.

The closer he got, the more he realized how… large, the receptionist was. He certainly did not fit the stereotype for the athletic felines. Roland managed to get all the way over to the desk's counter before the portly cat noticed him, the young mammal captivated by his mobile device and whatever app he was occupying himself with.

The voice coming from the phone distinctly matched that of the singer he had heard on the train, Gazelle was her name if he heard correctly from the jumbotron just outside the train station. While he was distracted, the young human studied the cluttered mess consisting of the feline's desk.

 _Clawhauser,_ that's what the tag fastened to the cat's XXL shirt informed him. Amid the disaster that was Clawhauser's desk were a few hollow bags of chips, a pair of stained coffee mugs, and a half-empty box of doughnuts wedged between the feline's impressive waistline and the stone edge of the granite slab desk.

He waited a little longer before deciding to clear his throat, shaking the cat from what Roland was beginning to think was a worshipful reverie.

"Huh… what?" The chubby spotted feline mumbled as he was shocked out of his distracted train of thought. It took him a few moments to realize that Roland was standing in front of the desk, and when he did notice the human he leaned back in his chair with the perfect replication of a stage gasp.

"Oh wow you're a human!" Clawhauser stated the obvious with almost childlike enthusiasm, his eyes widening into saucers as they took in the bizarre sight.

"Last time I checked… or has that changed." Roland replied as he glanced down to his uniformed body in good humor.

The spotted cat blushed slightly at his remark and chuckled, a sound remarkably similar to that of a giggle. "Yeah I probably deserved that one. Momma always did say my mouth ran faster than my brain." The feline's grin widened as he glanced down to his belly. "Though… I'm not sure she was just talking about words."

Hearing that Roland chuckled himself, the man always up for a good joke.

"You must be the transfer Chief Bogo told me to look out for today." The cat took his eyes back down to the desk where he sifted around the doughnut box, selecting one glazed in an unhealthy amount of icing and shoving it into his wide maw. "When he said... you'll know 'em when you see 'em… he wasn't joking." Clawhauser mumbled in-between mouthfuls of the frosted treat, showering the desktop with a rain of half eaten crumbs.

"He knew I was coming in today?" Roland asked in surprise as he idly brushed off the growing dusting of doughnut residue on his uniform. He had not given an advance notice besides the message sent before he left for the train. And that didn't have a specific time for his arrival.

"Yeah…" The cat replied. "Chief always knows when new officers arrive." Glancing around, the cheetah leaned in closer to whisper in an almost awed tone. " _It's like a six sense or something._ "

Roland was surprised to hear that he had been expected that day. But he supposed it was logical to assume he would come in soon after arriving in town.

"You know… you're the second officer to start today." The tubby feline remarked while the young man was distracted by his thoughts. "They came in just a few minutes after you did, caused quite a stir you know." The cat blathered on, already on the prowl for something else to eat. "The first bunny on the force… just the absolute cutest little gal I've ever done seen. Oop, I said it again!" Clawhauser gasped in mortification, clamping his thick paws over his muzzle.

Roland did not pay attention to the feline's reaction so much as what he said, the young human glancing up to the cheetah curiously. "Bunny you said?"

He had to wait till the cat took his paws away from his mouth before he got his answer, the pudgy cheetah mumbling something about insensitivity. "Oh yeah, a little firecracker with a cotton tail she was, all ready and raring to go." Clawhauser shook his head sadly. "But I feel bad for her. She's gonna have a tough time with Chief and the others."

As curious as he was on whom the bunny might be, he still had business with the police chief. "Hate to interrupt... Clawhauser was it?" He asked, checking the name tag again for clarification. "But can you point out the Chief's office for me?"

The cheetah nodded eagerly, using a half-eaten doughnut as a pointer. "Right, right of course. His office is right up the stairs and down the right hall, names on the door you can't miss it…?"

"Roland, the names Roland." He answered the unspoken question.

"Well then Roland, good luck with the Chief. He's not the best when it comes to…" The cat thought it over and frowned. "Well anything besides work really."

Leaving the enthusiastic and podgy cheetah to his devices, Roland bid him goodbye and moved to climb the spiral stairs off to the left. He didn't know what to think about the cat, other than that he was certainly an… interesting fellow. The man had to admit that he had not met anyone like him back in his time at the KPD.

What would this Bogo character be like? The chief he had previously worked for had been a good man, and a better friend. Though that had changed somewhat after Faraza, most everything had. Still, he had given him this opportunity so Roland supposed they had ended it on good terms. If he wanted his time here to be pleasant, he would have to do his best to remain on this chief's good side. He knew how unpleasant a disinclined superior could make your day-to-day life.

Roland did his best to dust off his uniform as he reached the top of the stairs and crossed the marble path down towards the Chief's office. This was his chance to get a read for his new boss, just as it was his chance to make a decent impression. It's not like he was the only one of his species in the entire city, starting his first day of work in a familiar yet alien environment he knew nothing about. No, it wasn't like that at all.

 _'_ _Heh… no pressure.'_

He held his grimace for only as long as it took to knock on the Chief's door.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Been a while since I last updated this fic, mostly due to a distinct lack of inner muse. Just haven't been able to figure out where to take it. But for the moment I was able to piece out something for this tale and I hope it'll tide you all over until next I get a chance to upload.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Zootopia

Chapter 3: Initiation

Girding himself with as much courage and determination as he could muster, Roland awaited his summons. No matter how much experience he had under his belt, the young man could not help but feel a kernel of unease develop in the center of his gut. Whoever sat behind the desk past this door was the one who held the keys to his career. If he screwed up in any way, if he made but one infinitesimal error, he could lose his job and therefore the loosely attained position he had claimed in this city. It was quite possible this Chief Bogo character would have problems with his species, something he never had to consider back in Kalber. All it would take was one simple demerit and he might have his badge revoked, the career equivalent of a death sentence.

"Enter." A low voice with a very distinct accent passed through the door, reminding him of the small oceanic country off the shore of Ervad.

 _'Well, here goes nothing.'_ Roland took a last deep breath to steady his nerves and twisted the handle on the door, pushing the barrier open and stepping inside.

The room was not overtly large, in fact it was quite a small place for an individual in such a high position. Which made the size of his new Chief all the more obvious, the buffalo, even seated as he was, matched and nearly exceeded Roland's height, (his horns nearly touching the ceiling). Standing, he would no doubt tower over him. And Roland had been considered a tall guy back home, making this whole adventure so far quite an eye opener.

The desk was almost comically small when compared to the owner, but made him no less intimidating. An organized mess of color coded folders were arranged across the surface of the desk as the Chief perused the contents of one of them, not bothering to look up and acknowledge the human who had entered.

Not knowing how else to proceed, Roland assumed a stiff backed posture and neatly clasped his hands over his lower back, all the while hoping he was not making a fool of himself.

The Chief studied the papers in his (paws?), for a few moments of tense silence before gesturing towards one of the chairs, still having yet to lift his gaze.

"Sit." He grunted curtly.

Nodding hesitantly to himself, Roland quickly set himself down on the stiff backed chair, the room deathly quiet.

The buffalo continued to inspect the documents he held, and Roland was beginning to suspect this was some kind of intimidation tactic, either that or the Chief was genuinely apathetic to his presence. And if that was so... well it didn't bode well for him.

Thankfully, not much later the buffalo finally tapped the papers against the desk and set them down carefully on the similarly colored pile, at last bringing his attention up to the human, albeit slowly. There he shifted his gaze to focus on Roland, and the man suddenly felt exceedingly hot under the collar, facing such intense scrutiny.

Having no words to say, he decided that silence would be his best policy here.

As the nearly accusatory eyes studied him, the Chief reached into a drawer below his desk and retrieved another folder, this one seeming to have a heftier weight to it. With an exaggerated flare he tossed it onto the desk, the heavy sheaf of papers producing an ominous thump.

"I read the transfer file from your department." He stated matter-of-factly, tapping the folder in front of him with a condemning digit.

At those words, Roland's blood ran cold.

He didn't know the department would send a file over, nor had he ever considered that if they had, it would be that big. What exactly was in that stack? How much did this Chief Bogo know about him?

Was Faraza in the file? That whole incident should have been wiped from his record.

"Sir, I..." Roland tried to explain, but was swiftly cut off.

"There are some fairly interesting points written in there."

Judging from the Chief's tone, he did not sound nearly as moved as his words.

" _If,_ what the file has written is true, you will be a welcomed addition to the force." The buffalo rumbled.

"Sir?" He repeated, confused and uncertain what exactly was happening. Roland had to admit, he had not expected that to be said.

"Does the file lie?" Bogo inquired, eyebrow slightly raised.

"Uh, depends, what does it say, Sir?" The young human asked hesitantly, wary of what might be inked within those pages.

"It says here," The water buffalo flipped the folder open and ran a finger across a sentence selected arbitrarily. "Exemplary service and conduct," He picked out another at random. "Experienced and qualified captain of the KDP SWAT division," The Chief chuckled sardonically. "This file sounds more like an aspiring resume then an official document."

Roland winced.

He hated to admit, but he agreed with the buffalo's rendition of the folder's contents. It sounded nice to be sure, but it also sounded rather boastful. His previous commander probably thought it would be helpful. But it just might actually be the thing to sink him.

"Tell me... Winters." He leaned forwards to stare the human down, the man wilting under the critical gaze of the Police Chief. "Is even a single shred of this... prosy jumble, true?"

There was really only one answer he could give.

"Yes Sir, every part of it." He answered as confidently as he could, hoping his voice didn't sound as weak as it did to his own ears.

The buffalo held his hovering stance, glare unchanging as it studied the human's impassive expression. Eventually, he huffed and reclined back into his chair, nodding to himself in what appeared to be satisfaction.

"Very well." He snorted dismissively and gestured behind Roland, slamming the folder closed and concealing it underneath his desk, returning his attention to the case files arrayed before him. The buffalo spoke in a rather uninterested tone. "Head down the stairs and attend the morning's roll call then. I'll be down shortly."

Still somewhat behind what had just happened, it took Roland a few seconds to realize he had just been dismissed. It had come so suddenly. Nodding quickly, he rose up from the seat and headed towards the door, his mind still trying to process the conversation. He had not been fired right of the bat, but he certain the Chief did not believe the entirety of the folder's contents. And Roland deeply wished he could have seen what they were for himself.

"Oh, and Winters..."

Pausing, Roland turned to the Chief's desk.

"Do not disappoint me."

The banal warning carried far more weight to it than if the buffalo had screamed it at him.

With another, more respectful nod, he ducked out of the room.

* * *

 _Well... that was fun._

Roland sagged against the nearest wall, trying his best to recollect his scattered brain. The conversation with the chief had rattled him even more than he had expected it would. But at least he had pushed through, and it would seem as if he still had his job. All in all it was a rather promising start to the day, more than he had expected.

Straightening his collar, the young human traveled back down the staircase. Thankfully, the precinct's layout was simple enough that he didn't need to ask for directions to the squad room, a series of convenient labels proving to be sufficient guidance. On the way, he crossed paths with several mammals in uniform, offering them polite nods as he passed by. Most returned his greeting, albeit with varying levels of cordiality.

Roland was happily surprised to receive, what was to him, a rather warm welcome considering how different he was in appearance and that of the usual standard back home. Perhaps this city was indeed as cheery as the advertisements proclaimed.

He found the squad room at the end of a hall, denoted by a helpful dark blue plaque securely bolted next to the door. The volume of raucous voices within gave him only a brief pause of unease. Things were going well so far. Hopefully, his streak of good luck would continue.

Wanting to remain somewhat discreet for the moment, he quietly slipped inside. Having not instantly been noticed by the rowdy bunch of mammals, he found a seat at the back and pulled the chair closer to the wall, by the water cooler. With it at his back he felt a sight more relaxed. Kalber was a dangerous place, especially for a cop. He had learned quickly that an officer should always keep their back to a wall, eyes towards the door. It was a learned habit had chosen not to break.

Curious to see what the difference to his old station was, he focused his attention on his surroundings as he waited for the chief to arrive. His throat a little dry from his previous, rather tense conversation, Roland decided to help himself to the water dispenser in the interim.

The zootopian squad room was larger than the one they had at his old precinct, as were most things here, perhaps due to better funding. He wasn't sure. A cork board hung on the opposite wall, a detailed map of the city pinned to the ruddy brown foam. Points of interest were marked on the map with pictures of mammals. Interestingly enough, they were all predatory. Having seen this type of setup before, he knew they were in all likelihood missing person cases, or rather missing mammal he supposed it to be now.

However he would have expected the majority of them to be prey species, it was logical to assume that predators would have a much likelier chance of avoiding kidnappers or general misfortune. Even from a brief glance of the map, he could tell something was definitely off about this.

Call it his professional intuition.

Taking a sip from the little Styrofoam cup, he watched as a hippopotamus at the front of the room abruptly called out for attention, the mammal having to shout in order to have his voice reach the back of the relatively small room.

Roland's amusement peaked as the occupants of the crowded room rose from their seats and pounded on the tables, almost in a tribal like fashion.

 _Guess animals are a little more boisterous than us humans._ He chuckled softly. Roland didn't mind it all that much truthfully. It was a humorous break from the usual bland, subdued monotony he had come to suspect of the job. At least these... men, were in high spirits.

The door beside the officer drifted open, admitting the familiar appearance of Chief Bogo who quieted the noisy officers with a wave of his paw and a few quiet words, an action that showed the depth of respect and authority he held over his charges.

Realizing it was time to focus, Roland placed his cup on the plastic rim around the water cooler and leaned forwards to listen, smiling as the chief made a rather comical pun. Whether he recognized it or not, he gave the buffalo a few kudos for that.

Once the noise level was dropped to a once more reasonable level, the chief resumed speaking.

"Now, down to business." He shuffled the papers on the podium. "As you all are no doubt aware, the ZPD's SWAT divisions, particularly here in precinct-1, have been underfunded and short-staffed for several years now."

There were a few reluctant nods of acknowledgment in the room. It was a well-known fact that the special units in the ZPD had seen better days. Mayor Lionheart had severely cut the funding and resources allocated to that section of the department, seeing no need for them in this city.

Unsurprisingly, the action was almost immediately met with a sharp increase in high level crimes that the present force was ill-equipped to handle in its current state.

The buffalo assumed a direct, no-nonsense tone. "As of effective immediately, this is going to change."

His surprise announcement was met with inquisitive murmuring, the officers sharing curious glances with each other.

"We've been lucky enough to receive a new transfer from the KPD that will assume the role of operation head to our local SWAT division, who now sits in this very room." The Chief's gaze shifted pointedly in Roland's direction. Following his stare, every head in the room followed.

Beads of sweat found themselves running down the sides of his face as he met the myriad of predatory eyes. Worried that if he spoke all that would emerge would be a deathly embarrassing squeak, he settled with a fairly steady nod in their direction.

So, this is what the chief had planned for him. To be honest, he had been hoping to land a job as a common beat cop, albeit with a fancier title and pay. He had his fill of command roles back in Kalber. But, he was in no position to refuse the chief of police's orders.

"Starting tomorrow, Captain Winters here will be accepting applications for those of you who wish to apply. This posting will not interfere with your usual duties and will be met with a marginal increase towards your salaries. As placements will be limited, you must make your decisions quickly."

With that leaving a moment of uneasy silence in the room, the chief soon returned to the day's tasks. But at that point, Roland only put half of his attention on the rest of the briefing, far too preoccupied with what had just been thrust on his shoulders, a great deal of unwanted responsibility. Not only that, but it would cut into his time. Though he did have an excess of it without the usual clique he spent his off duty hours with.

Many a sleepless night lay ahead of him. He would need to go over the files of applicants, that is, if any wanted to work under an apparent FNG like him, see that they were properly trained and equipped, and find out just what exactly the job entailed here in a city like this.

 _And it started off like a nice day too._ He sighed, scratching at the stubble on his chin as he pondered on his new predicament.

Meanwhile, the chief had started rattling off the duties for the day, all of which, Roland noticed, were centered on the missing mammal cases. In idle thought, he watched as the squad room slowly emptied, the officers filling out and giving him one last glance, no doubt sizing him up to guess what kind of commander he would turn out to be, nothing he hadn't seen before.

The only thing to distract him from his musing was the chief's next line.

"And finally, our first bunny. Officer Hopps."

Something about the name rung as familiar in his head and Roland looked up to watch, the only thing he could see being the tips of the ears poking up from the too large chair. Indeed, he himself found the chairs to be a little on the plus size. But such was not all that surprising considering the kind of individuals in the city they ,might have to accommodate. Better to have a chair too big then one too small.

Suitably, he grimaced upon hearing that the poor officer was given parking duty. He had been in the same boat when he first started back in Kalber, though that had been more of the departments hazing then what he suspected to be some kind of speciesism. Roland frowned at the very notion that someone was held back, purely on their race. Such had been cause for many riots back home, and was one of the leading denominators in his disenfranchisement with police work.

And as he heard the voice of the officer as she argued in her defense, realizing that she was the very same rabbit he met on the train here, the one that had helped him find a little peace on a distressing journey, he felt himself moving before he grasped what he was doing.

"Chief Bogo, if I may." He spoke up tentatively, rising from his seat towards the feuding pair. Both turned to him in surprise, Judy eyeing him like some strange creature that had jumped out from behind a crop of bushes. Instantly he scolded himself for his hasty action.

 _I swear, one day this sense of decency is going to get me killed._

"Perhaps you should give her a shot, Sir. It's only fair that she be treated like the rest of us." He suggested, and accordingly blanched under the buffalo's hard glare, the chief seemingly insulted that he had spoken.

"Perhaps, you're right _Winters_." He growled lowly, an odd tone of amusement in the buffalo's tone. "I would not want it said we don't have identical treatment here in the ZPD. Very well, I'll assign the _both_ of you parking duty. This is after all an equal opportunity institution, and you together are starting your first day. Furthermore, I expect a report on your other duties by the end of the day, _Captain._ "

Roland winced. The way the water buffalo had said that sounded almost like an insult.

"With the two of you I imagine a hundred tickets shouldn't be too hard."

Ouch... double wince.

And just like that the door closed, leaving both the human and bunny to stand in the silence.

Eventually, he broke it.

"Whelp, should have seen that coming." Roland chuckled in self-deprecation, rubbing a hand through his hair disappointedly. Not how he wanted his first day to go, but at least he had stood up for what he believed to be right. But he should have known better, Sticking up for one's beliefs was a choice that often did not end in your favor.

The only thing that made him feel slightly contented with his choice was the grateful bunny now currently hugging his chest.

"Thank you, Roland, for sticking up for me." She looked up to him, a confused smile lingering as she pulled away. "But what in the name of carrots are you doing here? You're a cop? And a Captain no less?" The shock was evident on her short muzzle as those purple eyes stared at him in bewilderment.

"Yeah, probably should have mentioned that on the train. But I was a little preoccupied, if you'll pardon my ineptitude. I always did have a penchant for leaving out important details." He returned her smile with his own personal awkward flare.

"No it's quite alright." She was quick to placate him. "I'm just a little surprised, and I would be remiss if I didn't say I was happy to see you."

"Well for what it's worth so am I on both accounts and glad to see you again nonetheless, though sooner than expected. I didn't imagine crossing paths with you so quickly, especially not twenty four hours later. It comes as pleasant surprise I must admit." It was truly nice to see here again, a familiar face was always welcomed. And it was something he could certainly use right about now.

"That's ditto for me." She giggled lightheartedly, the bunny quite literally having a bounce in her step.

The sight brought a cheerier smile to the young human. "So I can see..."

"Looks like we're in the same boat here. What do you say we one up the Chief, eh?" She asked with a quiver of excitement. "Show him us newbies aren't the type to be put down."

"Well..." He mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "To that I'd say we'd half to double the ante, at least two hundred tickets."

"Before noon?" She quipped eagerly.

"Before noon." He sagely nodded in agreement.

Roland was surprised that he fell into friendship with this bunny girl so easily, but could not deny the reason may be that she was just that easy to get along with. One would be hard pressed to find fault with her unending enthusiasm and positivity. She truly believed she could make the world a better place, reminding him of how he had been many years ago.

It was nice to see that again.


End file.
